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Wednesday, July 18, 2001
Cup crazy ... already
By Will Weiss
ABC Sports Online
D-day for Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange isn't until the middle of August, but he's already inundated with call after call regarding the 12-man team he'll take to The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England. The actual matches don't begin until September 28, which begs the question:
Is it too early to be racking our brains over the Ryder Cup?
|  | | Tiger Woods (right) and Phil Mickelson are 1-2 in the Ryder Cup point standings. |
"Normally it would be too early to talk about any event, but it's a Ryder Cup year, and people are looking forward to the end of September," Strange said.
The Ryder Cup is arguably the most anticipated event in the golfing world today. An event the United States used to dominate, an intense rivalry has built up since the Europeans' 1987 win at Muirfield Village in Ohio -- their first-ever victory in the U.S.
And since the Americans' dramatic comeback two years ago, where on-course celebrations led to heated controversy, golf fans have anticipated 2001 from the second play closed at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.
The Belfry was the site of the Americans' last Cup win on European soil, in 1993. That team, captained by Tom Watson, marked the Ryder Cup debuts of Davis Love III, Lee Janzen, John Cook and Jim Gallagher Jr, and featured veterans Raymond Floyd, Lanny Wadkins and Fred Couples. The current top 10 is loaded with experience, with names like Sutton, Lehman and Calcavecchia. Joe Durant is the only rookie in the mix.
The 10 players with the highest point totals automatically qualify for the team. Strange will then utilize two captain's picks to round out the team.
"My job right now is to watch, listen and learn from the players who are playing well," said Strange, a member of five Ryder Cup teams. "I watch who's making the team. The two picks could be easy or they could be difficult.
"It's going to be interesting. I hope it's a layup, but I don't think it will be."
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Ryder Cup Standings
(through 4/29/01)
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Pos.
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Name
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Points
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1. |
Tiger Woods
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2,227.500
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2.
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Phil Mickelson
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1,093.125
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3.
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David Duval
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640.000
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4.
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Mark Calcavecchia
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635.375
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5. |
Davis Love III
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619.500
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6.
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Hal Sutton
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613.000
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7.
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Joe Durant
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505.000
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8.
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Jim Furyk
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502.875
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9. |
Tom Lehman
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468.750
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10.
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Brad Faxon
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406.500
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11.
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Loren Roberts
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383.000
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12.
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Steve Lowery
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360.000
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13. |
Scott Verplank
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358.500
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14.
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John Huston
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357.500
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15.
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Kirk Triplett
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331.666
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16.
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Scott Hoch
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300.000
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17. |
Chris DiMarco
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299.000
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18.
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Rocco Mediate
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290.000
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19.
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Stewart Cink
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286.625
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20.
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David Toms
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285.000
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21. |
Justin Leonard
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278.750
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22.
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Frank Lickliter
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263.625
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23.
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Steve Flesch
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257.250
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24.
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Franklin Langham
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247.500
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T25. |
Notah Begay III
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225.000
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Dennis Paulson
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225.000
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We do know one thing: Tiger Woods has clinched a spot on the team, already setting a record with 2,227.5 points. His nearest competitor, Phil Mickelson, is also a lock, with nearly 1,100 points, based on the standings leading into this weekend's Compaq Classic of New Orleans (ABC, Sat., 4 p.m. ET, Sun., 3 p.m. ET).
Below Mickelson, though, it's wide open. And with 17 tournaments (including three majors) to go, anything can happen.
"It looks like 625 points is going to be the go point of making the team," Strange said. "That's an estimate right now, but 625 looks like what you might need to make. We still have a lot of points up for grabs."
The current top 10 features seven of the 12 members of the '99 squad. Justin Leonard, the hero of the '99 comeback, is way off the pace, 21st in the point standings.
The first quarter of the season has seen some pleasant surprises, like Durant, who has broken through with two victories, and is the only other multiple-winner on Tour this year besides Woods.
"He (Durant) has come on strong," Strange said. "He hasn't made the team yet, but it looks like he's going to make the team on points. Mark Calcavecchia has been a nice surprise also. With his experience, he'd be a great addition to the team."
Brad Faxon has also made his presence known. Winning at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Faxon sits in 10th, looking to make his third Ryder Cup team, and first since 1997.
At this stage, it's easy (and fun, actually) to speculate who will make a run this summer, and who could potentially be the two captain's picks. It's also easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the event, even this far in advance.
"Sometimes players get a little ahead of themselves. They almost talk too much of the Ryder Cup because it puts pressure on their daily play," Strange said. "You make the team as a result of good play every day."
For those in the middle of the pack looking to make a move, this weekend's tournament is an excellent place to start, due to a strong field that features stalwarts like Mickelson and Duval, as well as proven winners such as Faxon, Hoch and Bob Tway. Plus, the Nicklaus-designed English Turn is one of the more challenging courses on Tour.
If it's not too early to be talking about the Ryder Cup, then it's certainly not too early for players to be making strides to improve their position in the standings.
"We talk about a lot of stuff, but the bottom line is to win this thing," Strange said. "There's a lot going on, but the bottom line is that we go over there, play well and bring the Cup back."
Spoken like a true captain.
Will Weiss is an assistant editor at ABC Sports Online.
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